Flexible Body Control Using Fiber Optic Sensors, Florida Space Grant Consortium

This project would build on previous research that developed the dynamics formulation and control of a rigid-flexible system. A cantilevered beam attached to a rotating central body is considered and analyzed through the finite element method. A set of matrix differential equations are obtained to describe the dynamic behavior of the system, and a control law based on a Lyapunov function is obtained and applied to the system. The development of this dynamics formulation and control also considers the rigid-flexible coupling present in the system. The control law is designed such that the system can achieve and maintain a set of desired states for the central rigid body and flexible structure. The experimental measurements obtained from the implementation of FOS sensors on the flexible body and inertial sensors on the rigid body will be utilized as the input in this control design. The research portion of the project is anticipated to require one or two graduate student research assistants and a part-time academic advisor over a one-year period.